Enterprise Worlds at the Royal Cork Yacht Club - Day 3
by Peter Hassett 18 Aug 2004 23:07 BST
UK Boats feature strongly in fickle breeze
Nick Craig of Frensham Pond SC maintains a close lead over Jeff Dyer of Penarth YC after Race 5 of the 2004 Enterprise World Championships. Race 5, sponsored by North Sails, proved again that a good start was essential to have any hope of staying in the top 10 by the finish, largely due to a significant pin end bias and a light breeze from the north east. Irish sailor Sean Craig set the pace and maintained the lead until the last leg of the race when Phil Kirk from Frampton-on-Severn SC and Nick Craig both took advantage of large windshifts. Phil Kirk eventually won the race in super style and surely is delighted to move substantially up the overall rankings to 19th overall.
Overall after race 5 and with three scheduled races to sail, Nick Craig maintains a slender lead over Jeff Dyer who finished 4th in todays race. It would appear to be a two horse battle for the overall title with an 18 point gap to 3rd placed Sean Craig of the Royal St George Yacht Club. However, stronger breezes are forecasted for the remainder of the weeks racing and anything can happen. The tighter battle is for 3rd overall with only 9 points separating 3rd to 6th overall at present.
After Sean Craig, next best placed Irish sailors are Roy Van Maanen in 8th overall and Ger Dempsey in 10th overall and with both of these sailors still within easy reach of the top 6 placings.
Results after Race 5:
1st GBR Nick Craig/ Sheena Craig Frensham Pond SC 6.00pts
2nd GBR Jeff Dyer / Simon Cook Penarth YC 10.00pts
3rd IRL Sean Craig / Michelle Rowley Royal St George YC 28.00pts
4th GBR Phil Bevan/ Catriona Bevan Grafham SC 31.00pts
5th IND Aashim Mongia / Amit Arvind Naval SC Mumbai 35.00pts
6th GBR Jonathan Lye / Karl Lye Notts County SC 37.00pts